Nicholas H. Orr, MD; Christopher J. Lettieri, MD
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic psychiatric condition that is associated with exposure to a traumatic event.[1]The gross features of the illness are characterized by fear, a sense of hopelessness, and social impairments. Three additional symptom clusters must be present to confirm the diagnosis: (1) recurrent mental imagery re-experiencing the traumatic event, (2) a pattern of avoidance behaviors, and (3) hypervigilance.[1]
Recently, sleep disturbances or other factors that can diminish resiliency have been linked with an increased risk for PTSD. Similarly, case reports and studies of individuals surviving motor vehicle collisions, hurricanes, and traumatic injuries suggest that posttraumatic sleep disturbances (eg, insomnia, nightmares) can predict both the development of PTSD and the severity of symptoms.[9]
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